Thank God for Mothers!

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” 2 Timothy 1:5

It was Sunday morning and her son still had not appeared at the breakfast table. She had tried yelling up the stairs: “Wake up and get down here!” But there had been no response. Finally, she went up the stairs and opened the door to her son’s room and said, “You need to get up and get dressed. It’s time to go to church!”

“I don’t want to go to church,” her son groaned from under the covers.

“You can’t give me a good reason not to go to church, so get up!” his mom replied.

“Actually, I’ll give you three reasons. Number one: it’s boring. Number two: the people there are gossipy and critical. And number three: no one likes me. So why should I bother?”

“I’ll give you three reasons,” retorted his mom. “Number one: the Bible says you should go. Number two: you’re 45 years old. And number three: you’re the pastor! Now get out of bed and get dressed for church!”

Where would we be without the tireless urging of our mothers to do what is right? All over the United States this weekend, flowers will be delivered, homemade cards will be given, and moms will be celebrated on Mother’s Day. And it’s fitting that we should do so. I know of very few roles that demand such unconditional, self-sacrificing perseverance and commitment as that of motherhood.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul pauses to acknowledge the impact that a mother can have, mentioning Lois, Timothy’s grandmother, and Eunice, his mother. Paul’s mention of these women is interesting because he personally could claim a great deal of influence on the spiritual journey of Timothy. Paul called him his spiritual son (2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:22) and had not only included Timothy on missionary journeys, but had entrusted numerous assignments to him, including shepherding the growing church at Ephesus. It’s clear that Paul had invested much of his life in mentoring and helping to make Timothy capable and usable.

But Paul readily and willingly acknowledged that the seeds of Timothy’s faith were planted by these two women. We know very little about Lois and Eunice, but our imaginations can picture them praying with young Timothy, teaching him the simple stories of Jesus and the life-changing truths of God’s Word, and introducing him to the early leaders of the church. All of us know that mothering is a challenging task, but the rewards to faithful moms are great. Think of how Timothy’s mother and grandmother must have felt to see him blossom as a leader in the work of Jesus!

I know for certain that my character and faith has been shaped and molded by my mom. I will be forever grateful for her influence in my life. And it’s been a privilege for me to watch the way my wife, Martie, has impacted the lives of our kids, and now our grandkids. So this weekend, I’m excited for the opportunity to celebrate the significant role of our mothers.

Because, let’s face it, where would we be without them? Let’s hear it for moms!

YOUR JOURNEY…

For some, Mother’s Day brings pain—perhaps the pain of a fractured relationship between a mother and child, the pain of losing a loved one, or the pain of unfulfilled longings for motherhood. Psalm 34:18 offers these compassionate words: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Jesus knows and understands your pain and is ready to not only grieve with you, but to bring you His gentle peace and hope.

If you are a mom, how does it encourage and excite you to know that you can have such a key role in the life of your kids (and grandkids)?

Take a moment to thank the Lord for your mom, and then be sure to express your thanks to your mom in specific ways!

About Joe Stowell

Joe serves as the President of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cornerstone supports his web ministry, Strength for the Journey, which features daily devotionals, video devotionals, and weekly messages with downloadable study guides.

Joe and his wife, Martie, are the parents of three adult children and ten grandchildren.